Zipper assist device

ABSTRACT

A zipper-assist device and methods for using the device for facilitating the process of zippering is described. In a preferred embodiment the zipper-assist device is a two-pronged device with a body part, a finger component, and at least one prong. The zipper-assist device is used to engage a zipper tab/flap or zipper head to open or close a zipper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] (1) Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to assistance devices forarthritic individuals and, more particularly, to a zipper-assist deviceand method for using the zipper-assist device for pulling open andclosing zippers.

[0003] (2) Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Zippers are commonly used on many articles of clothing, onluggage, on containers, and many other items. The zipper is used byapplying a force to a zipper tab/flap which is hingedly connected to aslide member, zipper head, extending along the teeth of the zipper. Bymoving the zipper head and the tab upwardly and downwardly, a person canopen and close the zipper. Under most circumstances, this task isrelatively easy and can be performed by most people.

[0005] Many persons have ailments that affect their ability to use theirhands. An estimated 43 million Americans suffer from arthritis and othersimilar conditions, and each year one million new patients developarthritis. According to the US Centers for Disease Control andPrevention, an estimated 60 million people will have arthritis by 2020.The largest portion of the target market is individuals 65 or older.Also well documented is that younger people comprise half of all peopleaffected. There are also 250,000 children who have arthritis. Onemillion new patients developing arthritis each year. Arthritis is themain cause of activity limitation in the United States, and as a result,sufferers are quick to purchase any remedy or device that will helpeliminate discomfort or maintain independence. It is believed that anestimated 10 billion dollars is spent yearly on unproven arthritisremedies alone. Other ailments include carpal-tunnel syndrome,Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, wrist and forearm fractures, birth defects,amputees, wearing casts, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy,cerebral palsy, quadriplegia, as well as the side effects of manymedications that cause loss of the sensation of touch and/or gripstrength.

[0006] Often it is quite difficult for individuals with ailmentsaffecting the hands to grip and operate smaller objects such as zippers.Persons with such ailments thus need devices to facilitate zippering. Inthe case of the elderly, many have limited hand dexterity that resultsin difficulty in holding and/or grasping objects. Such limited handdexterity also leads to reduced ability of such individuals to pick up,manipulate and exert force on zippers. The action of pinching a zipperand manipulating the same may be painful, awkward or even impossible toperform. As a result there exists a need for a device to help thesepersons with manipulating zippers.

[0007] Prior art commonly employs a number of zipper assistance devicesfor the purpose of assisting persons who have difficulty handling smallobjects.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,447 to Nolen et al. describes a device thatfacilitates the buttoning and unbuttoning, as well as the zipping andunzipping, of clothing for individuals with limited manual dexterity.The device has an insertion portion at one end for sliding into abuttonhole, a buttoner portion at the other end in the form of a hookand an unbuttoner portion therebetween.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,487 to Carr et al. describes a combinationzipper aid and shoehorn device wherein a conventionally shaped shoehornfor use by the individual in slipping shoes or similar footwear ontoone's foot is provided with an opening on the narrow end of the shoehorninto which is retractably fitted a device for assisting in closing oropening zippers on one's apparel. The zipper aid consists of a length ofcord material provided with a hook on one end, with the cord beingspring wound onto a spool contained within a housing with the housingbeing retractable into the end of the shoehorn for storage thereof orout of the shoehorn so that the hook on the end of the cord can beattached to a zipper tab and, using the shoehorn as a handle, enablingan individual to readily open or close the zipper on one's garment.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,191 to Detrick et al. describes a zipperoperating device for manipulating a slide fastener having a slidingoperator member and a tab member connected to the sliding member. Thezipper operating device includes a tang member which may be receivedwithin a hole in the tab member whereby the zipper operating device mayengage the sliding member for manipulation thereof. The zipper operatingdevice is shaped generally like a key and includes a head portion and ashank portion extending therefrom. A hole is provided in the headportion distal from the shank portion such that the device may beattached to a key ring or key chain.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,958 to LaMachhia et al. describes acombination bracelet, button, and zipper fastening device includes anelongated handle having a first end and a second end with a firstreleasable clamping means coupled to the first end and a removable,reversible end cap on the second end. The first releasable clampingmeans are operable to releasably hold at least one interlocking memberof a releasable clasp of a bracelet. The removable, reversible end caphas a button hook and a chain attached to one end and an interlockingmember on the other end. A second releasable clamping means is attachedto the end of the chain. The handle is sized and configured to be heldin a hand of a person so that the first clamping means is positioned torest on a wrist adjoining the hand holding the handle so that a personusing the bracelet fastening device can hold and position with one handat least one interlocking member of the releasable clasp on theadjoining wrist while using the other free hand to fasten the otherinterlocking member of the clasp therewith to securely retain thebracelet around the wrist. The handle includes a hollow which isaccessible from the second end and which is dimensioned to store thesecond clamping means, the chain, and the button hook.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,966 to Alan Wheat describes a tool forfacilitating the movement of a zipper including a handle, an armconnected to and extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of thehandle, and a zipper flap receiving area formed in the arm at an endopposite the handle. The zipper flap receiving area serves to receive azipper flap therein. The handle is integrally connected to the arm. Thearm has a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface, and asecond side surface. The zipper flap receiving area extends into thefirst side surface and through the arm from the top surface to thebottom surface. The zipper flap receiving area is a slot formed in thearm having an opening in the first side surface. The arm also has atapered surface formed at an end opposite the handle.

[0013] As described in the patents above, many assist-devices exist tohelp manipulate zippers. These devices generally take hold of the zippertab/flap. Generally these devices hook a hole in the tab or attach tothe tab itself. However, oftentimes the tab/flap flails and may bedifficult to take hold of while the zipper head is generally steadfastin position. Thus, there exists a need for a device that can operate byengaging not only the zipper tab/flap but also the zipper head. Thezipper-assist device and method described here averts such limitationsand provides an alternative zipper-operating assist device and methodfor persons with ailments affecting the hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention is directed to a zipper-assist device.Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a prongeddevice to manipulate zipper heads and zipper tabs using one or morefingers. A further aspect of the present invention is directed to amethod for using the zipper-assist device for facilitating the processof zippering.

[0015] These and other aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the followingdescription of the preferred embodiment when considered with thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1A is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0017]FIG. 1B is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0018]FIG. 1C is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.

[0019]FIG. 1D is a front view of an embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1Band 1C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] In the following description, like reference characters designatelike or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in thefollowing description, it is to be understood that such terms as“forward,” “rearward,” “front,” “back,” “right,” “left,” “upwardly,”“downwardly,” and the like are words of convenience and are not to beconstrued as limiting terms.

[0021] Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations arefor the purpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the inventionand are not intended to limit the invention thereto.

[0022] A side view of a preferred embodiment of the zipper-assist deviceis shown in FIG. 1A. The zipper-assist generally referred to as 3.0 ismade of a body component 3.1. The body 3.1 has a front end 3.3 and backend 3.4 as well as right side 3.5 and left side 3.6, as best seen inFIGS. 1B and 1C. The body is substantially flat and rectangular.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment the body may be a “body compartment”3.1 within which a slider 3.2 moves back and forth. A top view of apreferred embodiment of the zipper-assist device is shown in FIG. 1C. Asbest seen in FIG. 1C, the slider 3.2 has a front end 3.7 and a back end3.8. The slider 3.2 also has a left side 3.9 and a right side 3.10. Thebody compartment 3.1 also includes a movement rail 3.11 within whichslider 3.2 slides. The movement rail 3.11 is a rectangular space cut outof a body compartment 3.1. It has both a front end 3.12 and back end3.13 as well as a left side 3.14 and right side 3.15. In FIG. 1C, theslider 3.2 is positioned in the forward position to the front side ofthe body 3.1. The slider 3.2 can be seen below prongs 3.22 and 3.23.When the slider 3.2 moves to the forward position the movement rail 3.11is no longer occupied. A screw 3.20 located through the slider 3.2slides up to a welded metal layer 3.21. Such limits the range ofmovement of the slider 3.2. In FIG. 1C, the back end 3.8 can be seennear front end of the movement rail 3.13. The slider assists the glidingmotion of the zipper-assist device. A top view of a preferred embodimentof the zipper-assist device is shown in FIG. 1B. In this figure theslider 3.2 is positioned to the back side of the movement rail 3.13 andbody 3.4. A front view of a preferred embodiment of the zipper-assistdevice is shown in FIG. 1D. Inside the body compartment 3.1 the frontend 3.12 of the slider 3.2 can be seen.

[0024] The slider 3.2 has a spacer 3.16 which may be joined to theslider by any means such as gluing, screwing or welding 3.2. Protrudingtoward the zipper or clothing, the spacer 3.16 moves mechanically backand forth with the whole slider 3.2. In the basic non-compartmentalnon-slider embodiment, a spacer may be joined to the body. The spacerfunctions to space apart the zipper-assist from the clothing or zipper.As such it also protects the clothing and zipper from the zipper-assistdevice.

[0025] Fastened by a screw 3.17 to the body 3.1 is a finger component3.18. The finger component may be immovably fixed by the screw to thebody. The finger component may be joined to the body by any means suchas glueing, screwing or welding it to the body. The finger component maybe fashioned to fit any finger including preferably the thumb. As such,the finger component may be curved. In another embodiment, the fingercomponent may be rotatable about a pivot point. Such rotation allows oneto use different fingers to push or pull a zipper. The thumb may beplaced in the curvature opposite the index finger. Alternatively rotatedthe index finger may be placed in the curvature opposite the thumb. Morepreferably, one finger, is placed in the curvature opposed by no otherfinger. Opposed means another finger lies on the opposite side of thefinger component to help grip the finger component. The finger componentis substantially vertical to the body. It may be perpendicular to thebody. It is used to push or pull the zipper-assist device which isengaged to either the zipper tab/flap or zipper head. The fingercomponent may be other shapes and sizes.

[0026] The basic embodiment may have one or more prongs. In FIG. 1B,prongs 3.19 are more clearly shown than in FIG. 1A. First and secondprongs are shown as 3.22 and 3.23 respectively. The prongs areapproximately triangular with about three sides, outer sides 3.24 and3.25, inner sides 3.26 and 3.27, and back sides 3.28 and 3.29respectively. The back sides 3.26 and 3.27 of prongs 3.22 and 3.23respectively may be welded to the front end 3.3 of body 3.1. As seen inFIG. 1C prongs 3.19 are attached to the body. The prongs may be joinedto the body by any means such as glueing, screwing or welding the prongsto the body 3.1. A front view of a preferred embodiment of thezipper-assist device is shown in FIG. 1D. Prongs 3.22 and 3.23 can beseen head-on attached to body 3.1. The prongs are spaced apart such asto engage the vertical component of a head of a zipper. The prongs mayalso be used to hook the zipper tab/flap to enable zippering. The prongsmay go through a hole located in the zipper tab/flap. In a preferredembodiment of the zipper-assist device the prongs are sized such as topierce a variety of sizes of zipper tab/flap holes. The prongs may bespaced such as to engage the vertical component of various zipper heads.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the invention zipper-assist devicemay be composed of a combination of materials including metal andplastic.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of a method for using the zipper-assistdevice the zipper-assist user places a prong of the zipper through ahole in a zipper tab/flap, places a finger in a fixed finger component,and applies pressure to the finger component to move the zipper-assistto open or close a zipper. In an alternative preferred method the userof the zipper-assist uses the prongs to engage the zipper-head. Here,the zipper-assist user places a zipper head in between two prongs of thezipper-assist device, places a finger in a fixed finger component, andapplies pressure to the finger component to move the zipper-assist toopen or close a zipper. In the above embodiments, the thumb may beplaced in the finger component and the index finger on the opposite sideof the finger component to move the zipper-assist.

[0029] The zipper-assist device facilitates handling a zipper for anindividual with ailments that make it difficult to manipulate zippers. Avariety of physical ailments can reduce the ability of the person tomanipulate a zipper including carpal-tunnel syndrome,Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, wrist and forearm fractures, birth defects,amputees, wearing casts, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy,cerebral palsy, quadriplegia, etc.

[0030] Certain modifications and improvements will occur to thoseskilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. By wayof example, the device according to the present invention may be used onbroken zippers where the tab has broken off or is completely removed; nozipper replacement is necessary sine the present invention functions tomove the zipper by the zipper head, not the zipper tab. Allmodifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake ofconciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of thefollowing claims.

We claim:
 1. A zipper-assist device for manipulating a zipper having azipper head and zipper tab connected to said zipper head, thezipper-assist device comprising: (a) a substantially flat andrectangular body with a front and back end as well as right and leftsides; (b) at least one prong joined to the front end of the body usedto engage the zipper head or zipper tab; (c) and a finger componentjoined to the body for placement of one or more fingers.
 2. Thezipper-assist device according to claim 3 wherein the slider has aspacer joined to said slider in order to lift the slider from theclothing or zipper.
 3. The zipper-assist device according to claim 1wherein the device is composed of metal.
 4. The zipper-assist deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the components of the device are composedof a combination of materials including metals and plastics.
 5. Thezipper-assist device according to claim 1 wherein the body forms acompartment housing a slider used to help the device glide smoothlyalong the surface being opened or closed by the zipper.
 6. Thezipper-assist device according to claim 7 wherein the slider has aspacer joined to said slider in order to lift the slider from theclothing or zipper.
 7. The zipper-assist device according to claim 1wherein the finger component is ergonomic and fashioned to fit a fingerincluding the thumb.
 8. The zipper-assist device according to claim 7wherein the finger component is rotatable about a pivot point.
 9. Thezipper-assist device according to claim 1 wherein the device has twoprongs joined to the front end of the body spaced apart such as toengage a zipper head.
 10. The zipper-assist device according to claim 9wherein the body forms a compartment housing a slider used to help thedevice glide smoothly along the surface being opened or closed by thezipper.
 11. The zipper-assist device according to claim 9 wherein thedevice is composed of metal.
 12. The zipper-assist device according toclaim 9 wherein the device is composed of a combination of materialsincluding metals and plastics.
 13. The zipper-assist device according toclaim 9 wherein the body forms a compartment housing a slider used tohelp the device glide smoothly along the surface being opened or closedby the zipper.
 14. The zipper-assist device according to claim 13wherein the slider has a spacer joined to said slider in order to liftthe slider from the clothing or zipper.
 15. The zipper-assist deviceaccording to claim 9 wherein the finger component is ergonomic andfashioned to fit a finger including the thumb.
 16. The zipper-assistdevice according to claim 15 wherein the finger component is rotatableabout a pivot point.
 17. A method for using a zipper-assist devicecomprising the following steps: (a) providing a zipper with zipper taband zipper head; (b) providing a zipper-assist device; (c) placing aprong of the zipper through a hole in a zipper tab; (d) placing a firstfinger in a fixed finger component; (e) applying pressure to the fingercomponent to move the zipper-assist to open or close a zipper.
 18. Themethod according to claim 17 wherein the finger component is rotatable.19. The method according to claim 17 wherein a second finger is placedon the finger component opposed to the first finger.
 20. A method forusing a zipper-assist device comprising the following steps: (a)providing a zipper with zipper tab and zipper head; (b) providing azipper-assist device; (c) placing a zipper head in between two prongs ofthe zipper-assist device; (d) placing a first finger in a fixed fingercomponent; (e) applying pressure to the finger component to move thezipper-assist to open or close a zipper.
 21. The method according toclaim 20 wherein the finger component is rotatable.
 22. The methodaccording to claim 20 wherein a second finger is placed on the fingercomponent opposed to the first finger.